ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE ATTORNEY IN NEWTON, KANSAS

In the rush of daily life, you may not consider what would happen to your estate if you pass away. As you work hard every day to build a life that you’re proud of, the state has a plan for distributing your estate — unless you have a clear will in place.

3 REASONS YOU NEED A WILL

Most people realize that they need a will in order to determine what their family and loved ones can receive upon their death. While this is a big reason to have a will, there are a few other crucial reasons you may not have considered:

1. You can determine who cares for your children. If you were to pass while your children are minors, the state has to determine who will take care of them. If you have someone in mind that you do (or don’t) want raising your children, having a will in place will make sure your wishes are legally recognized.

2. You can donate to causes you care about. No matter the size of your estate, you may find that you have assets you could donate to a charitable cause. In your will, you can arrange for part or all of your assets to be gifted to a cause you care about — which is a wonderful way to make a big difference through your final actions.

3. You can choose for people to disinherit. There are many reasons you may not want part or all of your estate going to a certain individual. If they’re someone who would likely inherit when the state is in charge of your estate, your will can ensure your assets go to who you really want to have them.

ESTATE PLANNING IN KANSAS

Every state has unique nuances to their estate planning laws. In Kansas, there are a few key rules you should know about:

• Your lawyer can help you draft a will or a trust. A will may only go into effect after you pass away, but a trust can take effect immediately after creation.

• Even if you create a trust, you will most likely still need a will.

• You can work with an attorney to make changes to your will anytime you please.

• You can create a will or trust when you’re as young as 18 years old.

• Forging, destroying, or hiding another person’s will can be classified as a Class A misdemeanor or a Level 7 Person Felony.

• An oral will can only give away personal property and is only valid if two disinterested individuals (who won’t receive anything from the will) put it into writing within 30 days.

• The will you create while living in Kansas can transfer with you if you move to another state.